Graphic novels offer a rich and rewarding form of literary study.

The best of them have depth of plot, strong character development, theme, symbolism, and emotional complexity — all the qualities we value in any excellent text. What makes them especially powerful is that they are multimodal, combining words, images, layout, and visual design to communicate meaning in layered ways.

For many students, this makes them both accessible and challenging in the right way. They can feel more manageable than dense print-only texts, while still offering real depth.

For visual thinkers, reluctant readers, and students who benefit from a more flexible route into interpretation, they can be a particularly supportive form.

In practice, graphic novels often help students feel successful as readers. That sense of success matters. It builds confidence, encourages discussion, and can open the door to a wider enjoyment of reading.

Graphic Novel Lab

Graphic Novel Lab is a 10-week course exploring how graphic novels tell stories through the relationship between image and word.

Students will explore:

• character, identity, and visual storytelling

• atmosphere, setting, and world-building

• panel structure, pacing, and layout

• inference, symbolism, and visual clues

• different artistic styles and their effects

The course is designed to be lively, thoughtful, and low-pressure, with a focus on enjoyment, discussion, and growing confidence in interpretation.

Who it suits

This course is particularly well suited to:

• visual thinkers

• students who enjoy stories but find dense reading challenging

• students who benefit from discussion and shared exploration

• those interested in art, design, or storytelling

Structure

• 10-week course

• Small-group live sessions

• Shared reading + guided discussion

• Optional creative responses

Fee

£100 for the 10-week block - in full/payment plan available